Shailene Woodley is being supported after opening up about a “debilitating” health condition that left her struggling to work.
In April 2020, the Big Little Lies star revealed she was “very very sick” in her early 20s, with the illness nearly derailing her career.
“I haven’t spoken much about this yet publicly, and I will one day,” she told The New York Times. “While I was doing the Divergent movies and working hard, I also was struggling with a deeply personal, very scary physical situation.”
Woodley, 29, has now shared more details of her experience, telling The Hollywood Reporter: “It was pretty debilitating. I said no to a lot of projects, not because I wanted to but because I physically couldn’t participate in them.”
She continued: “And I definitely suffered a lot more than I had to because I didn’t take care of myself. The self-inflicted pressure of not wanting to be helped or taken care of created more physical unrest throughout those years.”
Woodley assured her fans she is on the “tail end” of the condition, stating: “It’s an interesting thing, going through something so physically dominating while also having so many people pay attention to the choices you make, the things you say, what you do, what you look like. It spun me out for a while.
“Unless someone can see that you have a broken arm or a broken leg, it’s really difficult for people to relate to the pain that you’re experiencing when it’s a silent, quiet and invisible pain.”
The actor’s fans have voiced their support for Woodley, with one writing: “She should be very proud of herself & keep looking forward.”
Another added: “Congratulations to you for powering through your health issues.”
Woodley will next be seen in The Last Letter from Your Lover, an adaptation of the 2008 Jojo Moyes novel also starring Felicity Jones.
